Tag Archive: Merritt


Civic Election

previous elections and those that vie for power: file photo KDG

previous elections and those that vie for power:
file photo KDG

The Civic election is November 15th 2014,there are usually 6 councillors and one mayor up for election, although there was talk of having a split term there appears no change for positions at the City Government.
To be a candidate there are few qualifications,

There are various disclosers and rules for financing a civic campaign,it may be more that a novice can take on. However every person should have the opportunity to have their voice and perspective be in the voting bar of a civic council. good luck.

New this election is the term length of 4 years, it may be a precursor to split terms after 2018.
The old municipal act once said that to run you could not be in a contention with the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (an incentive to drop.) This is no longer expressed.
There are also 3 positions on School district 58 on the ballot.
The construction of the Tolko co gen and the 130 KV line are going to be in full swing at election time, vote.
Candidates packages are available August 22, through city hall, non resident property owners may also qualify for candidacy, however there seems to be a 30 day actual residency in Merritt. In the past the Tolko mill manager lived in Kamloops and held a seat on Merritt City Council.

Today in history: August 13 1918
Women are welcomed into the United States Marine corps for the first time,

Chargeing station getting use

Nissan Leaf, gets Dc quick charge in Merritt Sunday July 13th/14 Photo KDG

Nissan Leaf, gets DC quick charge in Merritt Sunday July 13th/14
Photo KD

The owner and operator of this EV says that he gets a hundred and 10 kilometers on a 1/2 hour charge at the DC quick charge station. The charge is free now but he expects that to change soon. Then a trip like the one from Merritt to Kamloops will cost him about 6 dollars at a quick charge station and a dollar and a half if he charges up over night at home on 120 volts.

He showed us a card that he said came from BC hydro that would allow him to pay for power at the DC charger. BC hydro has a serious amount of PR going into EVs right now with incentives for buying coming up and a 500 dollar rebate for a dedicated charger in your home. http://www.bchydro.com/news/conservation/2011/charge__electric_vehicles.html

 

 

Today in history: July 15th 2006

Twitter is, operational and goes on to be the largest Social Media platform in the world.

Taxes 10 percent penalty

Penalty

 Merritt BC was incorporated in 1911, local business collect and remit a lot of taxes to keep a City running. Photo KDG

Merritt BC was incorporated in 1911, local business collect and remit a lot of taxes to keep a City running.
Photo KDG

July the 2nd was the last day for 2013 tax’s to be paid to keep you current, with the city starting today there is a 10 percent penalty added to the bill. After three years of non payment your property will go on the Tax sale list and will be offered for sale for the back tax’s. There is a further redemption period after a tax sale so it is only a done deal when the tax sale is set aside  by your redemption of  a current state.

There was a steady stream of people paying tax’s at the city hall yesterday morning. If you have a mortgage on your property most often your taxes are in your mortgage payment calculation and are paid by the mortgage holder. this arrangement keeps most properties out of tax tardiness.

Today in history: July 3rd 1884

Dow and Jones publish their first stock average.

Happy Canada Day

Happy Canada Day, to you and yours from The Proprietor Review

 

The flag the flies atop the hill entering Merritt from the west hyway 8, it is kept by the ready mix company that owns the land and gravel pit.

The flag the flies atop the hill entering Merritt from the west hyway 8, it is kept by the ready mix company that owns the land and gravel pit.

John Hendersons Tesla

The 2010 Tesla sport car  that was brought into Canada as a first by John Henderson was here getting a EV charge on the weekend. The bright orange car with black bold lettering covering the sides was at the charging station on Voght, near the Merritt City hall. And in the parking lot used by the Farmers market on Saturdays ( watch EV users as Saturday may be hard to have access to the chargers), there are others on Mamet. The roadster was delivered to Canada May 13th 2010. The 2700 lb car has a maximum  range 350, 288 HP.

The sports car is not in production and went out to make way for the model S, ( $75,000) the model S has four ranges and battery options and is a family style sedan. The car needs to be preordered.

Other manufacturers include Chevy Volt, Toyota Leaf, Sun country auto PU that have been seen passing through and using the charging stations here.

Source information posted on the car being offered for sale.

The 500 Amp DC quick charger may not always be available here , there are adapter issues with the Tesla S, however the 90 amp and 30 amp chargers at the city public parking lot are without complaint.

Today in history: May 28th 2011

Malta votes on the issue of divorce.

Search and Rescue forum

 

There is a community meeting coming to the Merritt in respect to search and rescue. Hosted by the Nicola Valley Search and Rescue society, it highlights the society formed to provide recovery activities after a demonstrated need occurred when two young men drowned in their canoe on Nicola Lake.The meeting place is at the local community college NVIT Nicola Valley Institute of Technology on Belshaw Avenue in Merritt.

The presentation is billed as being by the founders of the recovery society and is on April 13th at 1pm.

Search and rescue goes to a recovery phase after a certain time passes.

Update: The mission Statement of the Legacy Water Search and recovery as a non-profit society is to search and safely recover drowning victims with innovative technology. They are committed to provide victim’s families with emotional support and drowning prevention education to the public.

The groups inspiration came from the activities of Gene and Sandy Ralston, who for only expenses have traveled thousands of miles in North America. The Ralston’ have used advances in key technologies such as side scan sonar and remote operated vehicles to search and recover victims in very deep water.

The Ralstons and associates efforts have lead to the recovery of 90 victims of drowning since 2000. source Legacy Water Search and Recovery brochure.

At this time they are looking for support to purchase equipment, they can be contacted at  their web site  http://www.legacywatersearch.com .
Today in history: April 1st 1891

The Wrigley company is founded in Chicago Illinois

TGIF – Christmas parade

Coat of arms of City of Merritt

Coat of arms of City of Merritt (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The people of Merritt are having their kick off parade for the Christmas season to-night. all the merchants will be open for the parade with specials and advertised incentives in the local weekly newspaper.

The small community of Merritt puts a lot of effort into the evening and it shows a lot of coöperation and commitment as it generally very succesful.

The construction company Sanders and Company provided a 30 foot pine tree for the center of Spirit square and it was decorated and ready last evening . Overnight vandals tore the lights off and attempted to remove the tree from spirit square. At 8:AM this morning to city workers were well on with the task of repairing the damage. The tree was up and lights were being restored. The pair was confident about it being ready for the after dark parade and open house of the downtown core of Merritt.

Today in history: November 29th 1919

Joe Welder ,Canadian American bodybuilder born.

1000 dollars

Craft swap Merritt Public library 1691 Garcia in Merritt BC CA

Craft swap Merritt Public library 1691 Garcia in Merritt BC CA

Today is the last day to enter the Merritt public libraries Christmas draw.  The contest is a draw for a 1000 dollars and a 100 dollar secondary prize based on the quality of the submission. To enter just document a positive experience you had with the library system in 5 lines or more and submit it by email to the contest sponsor the Merritt Friends of the Library at their email address FOLmerritt@shaw.ca.

You must include your name, phone, and library card number in the email. Do not send attachments. contest closes at midnight tonight pst.

The public libray is also putting out contact cards on  “Have your say on digital services in BC , they have a website www.gov.bc.ca/digitalservices.

Today in history: November 26th 2003

The Concord makes its last flight.

UFC Boxing Fitness training

Personal Training at a Gym - Boxing Category:F...

Personal Training at a Gym – Boxing Category:Fitness_training Category:Personal_training (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There is a UFC boxing and fitness training offered  at the Lower Nicola band school some evenings.

A source says that a relative takes it up and it is a martial art.

Lower Nicola is a small unincorporated satellite community west of  Merritt BC.

There is a call number:  Vancouver, Pauline 604 355 5960

There are some decent videos on the Swagbucks website for health and fitness including Tai chi. You can earn swag bucks while watching Michelle at Apex fitness, and others. A swagbuck is digital currency about a cent each .

Today in history: November 25th 1963

JFK is buried in Arlington National cemetery

Winter

The temperature is dropping to about -11 c today with serious snow on the ground here in Merritt at our 600 odd meter home. It feels homey and there is less traffic.

When we quipped to Everett Spahan that he was dressed like he had just come out of the Mongolian Step he affirmed the metaphor and posed for this picture.

Everett Spahan in the empty lot that borders coopers in Merritt BC.  First cold day of winter.

Everett Spahan in the empty lot that borders Coopers in Merritt BC. First cold day of winter.

Up date: at 7:30 this morning the temperature was -18 with the windchill.

Today in history: November 20th 1917

The Ukraine is declared a republic.

Tota

There was a presentation of the Thompson Okanogan Tourist Association at the civic center, this week. About twenty people took the session in including Merritt’s Mayor Susan Roline, Councilor Clara Norguard, Councilor Kurt Christopherson.

The presentation outlines “what might happen here in Merritt in tourism” Merritt Councilor Kurt Christopherson”

Sandy Curnew the manager of the Downtown Tourist Info center was also in attendance.

The presenter outlined a need that tourism needs to have a continuity  province to province.

The local Tourist association has their AGM Thursday..

331

Today in history: November 14th 1770

James Bruce discovers  what he believes to be the source of the Nile river.

British Columbia Youth Ambassadors

A moment of annoucement. BC Ammbassadors, 2013

A moment of announcement.
BC ambassadors, 2013

Three new, one year term BC Youth Ambassadors were chosen to represent the province on Saturday night. Casey Helgason from Kamloops, Lauren Sherwood from Ossoyoos and Camella Vokey from Penticton, all became ambassadors at the conclusion of the three day event at the Merritt Civic Center.

Bailey Allen a former  BC Ambassador from Merritt worked as judge for the first time.

There were 11 young people in the competition including to young men. https://www.facebook.com/BritishColumbiaAmbassador

President

Today in history : August 19th 1991

The Soviet Union being devolved as President Gorbachev is placed under house arrest in the August coup.